The role of personality factors in second language acquisition

THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY FACTORS IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
CONTENT:
Introduction
CHAPTER I. Identifying Factors Influencing Students’
Motivation and Engagement in Online Courses

1. Student Motivation and Engagement

2. Learning Management System

CHAPTER II Factors Affecting Student Motivation

2.1. Motivation Can Come from Within or Without

2.2. Factors Affecting Student Motivation

CONCLUSION
LITERATURE

Introduction

The emergence of educational technologies offers flexible learning opportunities to the twenty-first-century learners. Research affirms that online courses provide learners with some flexibility in terms of time, place and pace. However, the anonymous nature of the online learning environment can lead to demotivation and disengagement with subsequent minimal participation or even withdrawal. In face-to-face classrooms, students’ levels of motivation can be observed to a certain extent with few of the physical cues available. However, online courses present challenges and concerns in relation to students’ motivation and active participation. The challenge of engaging online learners seems common across subject matter, levels and institutions. Therefore, in order for the learners to have positive learning experiences, it is vital to identify factors that affect students’ motivation and engagement in online courses. Through a case study, this chapter highlights some pedagogical and practical ideas and strategies that teachers may like to consider when designing online courses to enhance students’ motivation and engagement.

This denotes that motivation can be something that keeps us ‘moving’. Motivation is defined as the ‘desire or willingness to do something’ (Oxford Dictionary 2013), the condition of being eager to act or work, a force or influence that causes someone to do something (Merriam Webster 2013). There are two different kinds of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation comes from within and is associated with the joy or passion that the task gives the learner rather than any reward it brings (Irvin et al. 2007). Extrinsic motivation is something to do with external factors associated with the task such as assessment. External factors can also be related to instructional strategies, learning conditions, educational technologies and other elements in activity systems.